STORM2K

My girls are dancing on Sunday afternoon in their recital but i have been snapping pics all week of them in their outfits. Laura is kites off of Mary Poppins Let's go fly a kite. Gwendolyn is Shirley Temple in Good Ship Lollipop, and Jeanne is sugar n spice.

What adorable pictures! Just seeing your lovely daughters brings back so many wonderful ballet recital memories of my daughter (almost 19, finishing her first year of college).

Thank you for sharing them!

I feel compelled to tell you - absolutely cherish these young years because before you know it, you blink and they're 13, blink again and they're driving and blink one more time and they're gone - at college!

Mary

How cute! I cant wait for my daughter to do stuff like this.. She is pnly 2 though, she already loves make-up!!

Your girls are absolutely precious!

Just wait until they're in almost all the dances! My daughter is in her 16th year of dance. She also did her solo last year. This year she's only in one dance YAY! She also was on her high school dance team for 4 years and is on UL Ragin Jazz, her college dance team for the second year. The money i have spent on dance

I never thought she would have lasted this long. Her first review she froze on stage, stood in one spot the entire dance with the audience laughing at her. They had to send someone out to get her after the dance was over. She also never let her height (at almost 19 she's only 4'9") discourage her.

Absolutely precious, beachbum!

Brings back memories of when my niece Janae ("Jae") took dance and was in recital shows during the Christmas and Spring seasons!

Eric

So sweet beachbum. My girls were "Mean ol' Lions" for thier recitial 2 years ago. Great memories. They lost interest and arent dancing anymore.

Absolutely adorable! Encourage them to stay in dance as long as possible -- it's a physically, socially, and emotionally positive activity!

Oh how I remember those days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Recitals were always nightmares because Aimee was in so many different dances....but she was beautiful and loved her dance!! Out of all of them she loved ballet most and loved when she got her first toe shoes. She was in HEAVEN! She took dance for 17 years from age 3 till 20 and loved every minute of it. It is so good for girls to be involved with this, it teaches them some grace if they don't have any , control, a sense of "team", discipline, and a hard work ethic that so many kids these days don't have. You gotta work hard if you want something.

And I am with Mary when she says enjoy this time, don't blink because before you know it they are going to college, turn 21 and their own person and don't need you to do their hair and their makeup, etc........wow, I miss those every day trips to the dance studio to drop off and pick up and trying to remember what dance was what day and what shoes, etc. etc....she always knew, but sometimes Momma would forget, oh well.

Beautiful pictures of your girls. I was so glad I took some of Aimee's pictures with me before Katrina, but I didn't take them all. I didn't take any of her videos and I wish I had so bad, but can't have everything. I would ask other parents of girls that were in dance with her, but all of South Pascagoula was flooded so everyone that I know that was in her dance classes lost theirs too. As you know, videos are usually in the lower parts of your house, under TV's in nice cases, etc....but well we couldn't find any of those things....I guess they are in the Gulf somewhere and the fishes with Nemo are watching them and learning how to do ballet, jazz, tap, modern, hip hop....should I go on? hehehehehehe

And like Frick (aka Cajun Mama) the money I spent on dance! But I would do it again in a heart beat.

Mary

Mary (and CM) - I spent a ton of money on dance too. At one point Nina joined her dance studio's dance team. We were traveling nearly every other weekend and often staying overnight in hotels. Her grades severely dropped when there was a 1 week span she was at that studio 6 times (rehearsals that dragged on for 3 hours, photo shoots, regular dance class slots). Late rehearsals: I would see high school students eating their dinner (bag of Dorrito's and maybe an apple, with of course a Pepsi or Coke, while waiting for their rehearsal time - trying to get in some homework)> It was all really wearing on Nina (8th grade) and we told her, if your grades drop, you are not taking dance. It had taken over her life and our family's calendar, to be really-really honest. She came home with 1 F and 2 D's. That is all my husband needed - she was out. That call to her dance teacher? I will never forget it. But we pulled her out, completely. After a month Nina thanked us. For making her see what her priority should be - school.

She joined a much saner, calmer studio the following school year and we all finally, finally breathed a sigh of relief.

I clearly remember her teacher at the first studio warning me, you know she can't come back? I said oh don't worry, we know that. Somehow we had picked a studio that wanted 100% of the student's time. School just didn't even enter their minds.

So I guess I'd have to caution you about that beachbum_al. But your girls are so young yet, I'm sure their class levels are nothing like we somehow found ourselves in for our then 8th Grader. Just be careful! When asked to be on a dance team, it is usually a big commitment. We went into it all blindly!

My daughter did finish up with regular dance classes each week - jazz and ballet. No more dance team. This in turn opened up her after school schedule for Mock Trial, Just Say No, Peer Counseling, Pride, and to remain in Orchestra.

Wow, don't know where that rant came from! So sorry. I guess remembering all the money we poured into dance set me off! Dance is an excellent physical and social outlet. But in moderation. We just didn't understand what a commitment dance team would be!

Mary

Great pictures! Nothing quite like watching them grow up before your very eyes! Your girls are wonderful.

Can't help but post THIS photo of granddaughter Emma as her grandma helps her get dressed for her first ballerina dance lesson a few weeks ago!

When asked how she was doing at dance lessons recently, she simply said "Sometimes the teacher gets frustrated because the music stops and she has to go fix it!"

Steve - oh how cute. Thanks for sharing Emma's recital picture!

Emma is so cute.

I will have more pictures tonight. This afternoon is there recital. I went to my cousins last night and the high school seniors were dancing. They were awesome. The girls and my nephew were glued to the stage.

Steve, your Emma looks so sweet!

Another dance revue over!!!!! Thank goodness. My daughters dance school is so big they have 2 revues in one day. It makes for a looooooooooooooooong day since she is in both revues. Only one dance in each revue for her this year, thank goodness but she has plans to be in more next year.

Made it through another dance recital. Have three months off before next season. They do have a summer session but we are going to take the summer off from ballet this time.

Here are the pictures.

Congrats on the recital today. Looks like a good time was had by all!!!

Emma didn't start in time to be in this season's program later this month. I think her first chance at a true recital will come next fall.

Stay tuned.

Glad everything went well beachbum. It is an exciting and busy day for all.
Here are my girls before their recital.